Chamber lubricating tool for shotguns



United States atent [72] Inventor Henry Brewer 3900 Fowler Rd., Springfield, Ohio 45502 [2i] Appl. No. 762,810

[22] Filed Sept. 26, 1968 [45] Patented Oct.27, 1970 [54] CHAMBER LUBRICATING TOOL FOR SHOTGUNS 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

52 u.s.c1 184/1, l5/104.l6,42/1,l84/l02 51 1111.01 Fl6n3/00 501 Fieldoi'Search ..1s4/1o2,1, 10, 19.22, 25,64: 42/(lnquired): l5/l04.l65, 104.2, 21 1, l04.l6

' 50] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,361,395 /1944 Gilligan /104224 2,409.916 10/1946 Varcoe 15/1 04. l 2,559,376 7/1951 Schnitger 15/104.2X 2,887,807 5/1959 Santangelo 42/1 Primary Examiner Manuel A. 'Antonakas AtmrneyC1arence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A handtool for single double-barreled and side ejection shotguns adapted to effectually cope with the problem of shell chamber rusting. Prior to current use of plastic shells, chamber rusting rarely posed a problem Using plastic shells necessitates frequent lubrication of the shell chamber oiling the chamber ordinarily requires dismantaling. Gunners are disinclined to dismantle their guns after each use. They hurriedly wipe the exterior surface and case the gun for subsequent use. The tool shown permits the gunner to expeditiously treat the shell chamber with corrosion-resisting oil before the gun is cased.

Patented Oct. 27, 1970 3,536,160

Henry E Brewer INVENTOK.

CHAMBER LUBRICATING TOOL FOR SHOTGUNS This invention relates to a special purpose handtool which is unique in that it lends itself to acceptable and practical use when the user of a shotgun is confronted with the important task of conditioning and maintaining the shell chamber of his gun in good condition at all times and pertains to a tool which is so well adapted to its purpose that it encourages a busy gunner to take the time required to lubricate the shell chamber before the gun is cased.

Prior to the now accepted practice of using plastic shells, chamber rusting difficulties were rarely encountered. Manufacturers of such shells are apparently not in agreement as'to the cause but several aspects of the overall difficulty have been taken under consideration. For example, old type shells are made of wax impregnated paper with the result that heat accompanying firing thereof would soften the wax and a significant portion would be spreadingly deposited on the shell chamber walls and in this manner it provided a protective barrier against objectionable deposition of moisture. Currently used plastic shells do not have and consequently do not deposit a surface protecting film and it is the consensus among shooters that until plastic shells came into current use rusty shell chamber conditions were less seldom encountered. To be sure, when cold guns are carried into warm quarters at a clubhouse or elsewhere condensation and moisture difficulties crop up. Also perspiration from a shooters-hands can be and often is conducive to corrosion and rusting of unprotected metal surfaces. Generally speaking, most shooters prefer and use plastic shells for the reason that they can be repeatedly reloaded thus appreciably reducing the expense of pursuing a pleasurable hobby. Accordingly, they continue to put up with and endure chamber rusting difficulties.

Keeping in mind that new gun oils have been perfected to guard against corrosion is one aspect of the instant matter in that it gave rise to a desire to take the steps, herein disclosed, to cope with and acceptably solve the problem under advisement. It follows that the object of the present venture is to provide a simple, practical, easy-to-use handtool characterized by a handle-equipped swab which functions as an applicator and can be telescopingly plugged into the shell chamber in a manner to treat the surfaces with a-suitable corrosion-resisting oil.

Briefly, the tool herein disclosed comprises a shank having a wooden or an equivalent handle at a rearward end and a cleanable and renewable felt swab at the forward end. This forward end is provided with a brass or an equivalent holder for the swab. The shank comprises a stainless steel or an equivalent rod or tube which is sheathed within the confines of a plastic sleeve. This thusly covered shank has a crook or bent portion which is shaped with requisite nicety to offset the handle-equipped end portion in a manner to orient the swab with the chamber and simultaneously coordinate the handle with a region of the barrel which will not collide with or hamper free manipulative use of the overall tool.

As will be hereinafter more fully appreciated the tool is more in the nature of an applicator for corrosion-resisting oil rather than a cleaning implement. This aspect of the matter is set forth here to minimize the likelihood of comparison with present day ramrods, cleaning patches and wire brushes. In fact, one when properly using the tool will discover that it maintains the shell chamber in highly efficient condition. Using this tool does not actually change common cleaning procedures but provides a much needed servicing step without having to dismantle the gun.

Then, too, it may be properly set forth here that upon completion of a shooting match or practicing program, most shooters merely wipe off the readily available exterior gun surfaces with a cloth treated with corrosion-resisting oil and then place the gun in its carrying case. Pressed for time as'is often the situation, the gun is left for more complete care at a future date. With the instant tool at hand it can be utilized for effective results before the gun is cased. These simple steps require only a short period of time with the result that the overall gun is maintained in a more completely protected state.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of COD? struction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing component parts of a shotgun and showing, what is more significant, the novel chamber-lubricating tool and how it is held and used.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view with portions broken away and shown in section in a manner to illustrate the swab in its functioning position within the confines of the aforementioned shell chamber.

FIG. 3 is a view in persepective of the tool by itself.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view on a suitably enlarged scale taken approximately on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view fragmentarily shown with parts in section and elevation taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

And FIG. 6 is a cross section taken on the section line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

The aforementioned elongate but relatively short shank is denoted by the numeral 8 and, generally speaking, is characterized by a' relatively straight forward end portion 10 (FIG. 2), a similarly straight rearward end portion 12 and an intervening curvate or bent portion 14 which interconnects the end portions 10 and 12 and is referred to as an offsetting crook. More specifically the shank comprises a single red 16 which can be of solid or tubular form and which in actual practice is completely enveloped in a snug-fitting plastic sleeve 18. In actual practice the rod is preferably made of stainless steel and the sleeve is of transparent plastic material and is retentively applied to stay put in the manner shown in the views of the drawing. The extreme left-hand portion of the rod shown at 20 in FIG. 3 is provided with an internally screw-threaded socket 22 and external anchoring threads 24. This end portion serves to fit into a counterbore 26 forming a part of an axial bore 28 extending through the rigid bulbous-shaped handle or handgrip 30. An assembling and retaining screw is provided as at 32 and has a threaded shank portion 34 screwed into the socket 22. The retaining head of the screw is denoted at the left at 36 in FIG. 5. The right-hand end portion of the rod is denoted in Fig. 4 at 38 and is fixedly or otherwise rigidly associated and connected with the applicator head. More specifically the head comprises a brass holder 40 which has a hub portion 42 and heads at the ends thereof. One head comprises a rigid flange 44 and the other head comprises a washer 46 which is removably held in place by a headed fastening screw 48. This hub with the flanges 44 and 46 at the ends forms a spool on which the felt collar 50 is mounted. The collar may be a one-piece felt ring or a plurality of rings fitted together. In any event it is porous and of a diameter that it is squeezed between the marginal edges of the flanges 44 and 46 to provide the applicator and cleaning surface 52.

Unlike old type paper shells (which fit the shell chamber tightly and seal out gases from the chamber) the commonly and currently used plastic shell lacks the ability to expand and seal the chamber. Because of this gases are allowed to enter the shell chamber and to deposit a small amount of residue. While residue is not particularly corrosive and is not of major concern it is deemed advisable herein to provide sufficient background material to stress the importance of the present contribution to theart. In FIG. 1 the rearward end portion of the barrel is denoted at A and the adjacent stock or handgrip at B. The usual side ejection port or orifice is denoted at C and the shell chamber at D (FIG. 2).

The tool is inserted so that a median portion of the shank passes through the side port C whereby to permit the swab or applicator head to fit with requisite nicety in the chamber Dl With this position and arrangement of parts the rearward end portion of the shank carrying the handgrip extends outwardly through and beyond the barrel where it is spaced and offset for convenient handling and use.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described.

lclaim:

l. A side ejection shotgun shell chamber-lubricating tool comprising an elongated but relatively short rigid shank having forward and rearward end portions, an oil-laden shell chamber swab carried by said forward end portion and capable of being readily and fittingly inserted into and swiped against the wall surfaces of the chamber in a manner to lubricate said surfaces, and a handle operatively mounted on said rearward end portion, that portion of the shank joining the forward and rearward end portions being formed with an angularly bent crook, whereby the forward end portion, which is straight and axially aligned with the swab, is adapted to be aligned with the bore of said chamber, and the rearward handle-equipped end portion is laterally and outwardly offset and is accessibly usable free of collision with that part of the gun barrel adjacent said chamber, said rod being wholly enclosed within and snugly enveloped by a plastic antiscratching and barrel-protecting sleeve, 5

2. The tool defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said swab comprises a holder embodying a hubhaving a rigid limit stop flange at one end and an attachable and detachable washer at its other end providing a removable clamping flange, and a felt collar surrounding said hub and interposed between and removably held in place on said holder, said collar providing the swab proper.

3. A side ejection shotgun shell chamber tool designed and adapted to apply corrosion-resisting oil to wall surfaces of'said chamber, said tool comprising an elongate rod rigid from end to end and bent upon itself intermediate its respective ends to provide a straight forward end portion, a straight rearward end portion and an intervening crook by way of which said end portions are disaligned and offset one with respect to the other, a handle axially and operatively mounted on the rearward end portion, and oil applicator means axially operatively mounted on a free end of said forwardend portion, said rod being wholly encased in a snug-fitted plastic sleeve, said sleeve being an integral part of said rod, being of uniform external diameter from end to end, and ranging in length from the handle to the applicator means.

4. The tool defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said applicator means comprises a spoollike holder embodying a hub provided at its respective ends with outstanding spaced parallel headlike flanges, and a felt collar surrounding said hub and interposed and held removably in place between said flanges, said collar providing a swab. 

